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Sacred Beauty: What You Need to Know About the Mexican Bug Infused in Lipsticks

Welcome to Sacred Beauty! In this new series, makeup artist Stephanie Flor travels the globe revealing the beauty behind our Latina roots. Learn about sacred rituals, secret ingredients, and discover gorgeous locales as we take you on beauty adventures around the world.

There's a reason Latinas are known for rockin' the best red lip rouge. In this episode of Sacred Beauty, we explore the ingredients behind the natural red pigment from a small bug called la cochineal.

In the beginning, the Mayans would use this insect as bug repellent and body paint for religious rituals. With further exploration, they began using the insect to create a variety of red pigments later used in cosmetics, textiles, and food dishes.